Women’s health for conditions such as menopause should be given priority, a physician has said, particularly since most workplaces are male-dominated.

Annabel Fountain, a certified endocrinologist, said women in the 40 to 50 age group in Bermuda held down high-powered jobs and were often the breadwinners of their families.

Dr Fountain said those experiencing menopause “cannot just suffer through it”. She added that women were expected to be “functional and productive” at all times even though they might be affected by the condition.

Menopause is marked by the end of monthly menstruation due to the loss of ovarian follicular function, which the World Health Organisation said occurs when the ovaries stop releasing eggs for fertilisation.

Dr Fountain’s call comes as the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute screens the groundbreaking documentary The (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence today, which delves into the women’s health issue.

Dr Fountain, of Fountain Health, and Carla Reese, are included on a panel which will discuss the subject at the conclusion of the 56-minute documentary.

The film features commentary and insights from top medical professionals such as Sharon Malone; Stephanie Faubion, of the Mayo Clinic in Florida; Mary Jane Minkin of Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut; and Wen Shen of Johns Hopkins Medicine, headquartered in Maryland.

It sheds light on the social, emotional, and professional consequences of a life phase often ignored or misunderstood.

The event is aimed at empowering Bermudian women to embrace ageing with knowledge and confidence while connecting them to resources and experts who can support their journey.

It is organised by the women’s platform Beauty and The Wise.

Screening of the film will start at 5.45pm.

The film was produced by Tamsen Fadal, Joanne Mathisen and Denise Pines and directed by Colby Atlas.

Dr Fountain said: “It is great that we are having this conversation. It is fantastic that this film is being put on and I’m really happy.”

She said some women displayed more menopausal symptoms than others and that for some it could be “absolutely devastating”, with “not just physical symptoms like hot flashes or night sweats but also potentially very serious psychological symptoms and mental health issues”.

She said some experienced difficulties sleeping, heart palpitations and sensations likened to an impending heart attack.

Dr Fountain, who is also certified in diabetes treatment and internal medicine, said menopause could be “very distressing” for women unfamiliar with the condition.

She also treats women who experience perimenopause, when the body transitions to menopause.

Dr Fountain added: “Women just get on with it, every month of their life ‒ they have pain and mood changes but they just get on with it.

“It doesn’t stop them from going to work. They do not miss school. It does not hold them back.

“It is fantastic now that we are actually talking about these problems because we shouldn’t just suffer and get on with it.”

She said women’s health had been “significantly neglected” from a research standpoint.

The BUEI said the film presented evidence-based solutions to the negativity associated with menopause and empowered women to take control of their health.

It added that the film dispelled myths about hormone replacement therapy, evaluated over-the-counter supplements and addressed how women of colour experienced menopause.

Kisha Tyrrell, founder of Beauty and The Wise, said: “This is more than just a movie night. It’s a movement.

“We are breaking the silence and changing the narrative around menopause — one conversation, one woman and one community at a time.”

Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Continental Society of Bermuda, a charity committed to uplifting women and children.

Tickets are $55 and available on gpass.bm

• For more information, contact Kisha Tyrrell at beautyandthewise@gmail.com